Dear stakeholders, beneficiaries and followers,

Welcome!

We have produced this newsletter to share information with you on two EU funding programmes: the Justice programme and the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme.

When living and travelling in another Member State, citizens should be able to rely on their rights, everywhere in the European Union. Ensuring an environment respectful of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary and where mutual recognition and mutual trust among Member States is at the core of the European Area of Justice. A properly functioning area of justice, where everybody has access to justice in cross-border situations and cross-border judicial proceedings is key to promote growth and jobs.

The Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme supports actions to promote and implement rights and freedoms of EU citizens and businesses. With this programme, we help EU citizens exercise their rights, promote the principles of non-discrimination and gender equality. We work on enhancing the respect of the rights of the child, on improving the protection of personal data, enforcing the rights of consumers, and ensuring the freedom to do business within the internal market. With the Justice programme, the Commission supports actions to improve European cooperation on civil and criminal law. It gives us the possibility to promote effective, comprehensive and consistent application of EU law in civil and criminal matters, to foster access to justice and to prevent and reduce drug demand and supply.

Promoting, strengthening and protecting EU values, rights and justice contributes to making the EU authentic and tangible in people’s day-to-day lives. It is through EU-funded projects that are trying to tackle the remaining gaps, inefficiencies and lack of effective protection of the EU fundamental rights and values. We hope you will be inspired by the many projects we have already funded. These projects have brought about real change for the better in the lives of EU citizens.

This is why I strongly encourage you to apply to this EU funding and be part of the change that will make the EU a better place where to live, study and work.

I hope this newsletter is useful to you.

Věra Jourová

European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality